WaveReaper

WaveReaper Technology, invented 2006, released for public use 2008, by Stefan Nyström Waves work in a constant movement up and down, forth and back, and we can with the WaveReaper, a simple mechanical device take advantage of this in a cheap way.

As we said, the wave move up and down, but most generators, rotate around an axle, and the wave size varies a lot, and creates problems, when you want to utilize the energy content of them. The current technologies regarding wave energy today, is very costly, which brings that it just can’t compete with other ways of making energy.

Another factor, water, and generators, yes almost any technology, is having problems, when it comes to the oceans salt water without using more expensive design and material.

Water can leak inside equipment and ruin electrical circuits, and must therefore be safeguarded against corrosion, and in those cases it is under water, against leakage, and pressure. Also water-depth, and the special environment, which crave divers, and other expensive equipment, has made wave energy costly.

With other words, underwater technology is not cheap, with these problems to solve, which means high costs, and therefore more expensive energy for the consumer. This is not what we would like, so it’s needed to solve the wave generation concept, to go around these problems. And the solution is simple, we can use basic items, as wire, plastic barrels, one way bearings, pulley, an axle, flywheel and generator.

That is the main components, in what up to day, is the cheapest wave energy technology in the world. It can even be built in wood or by choice bicycle parts! Latest conclusion, is to make almost all of the parts for the WaveReaper in concrete, Base , pulleys, and flywheel. See video. This is very good, in countries which have limited access to expensive metals, and heavy machining tools.

WaveReaper plastic barrels in the waves.

We will use a set of plastic barrels as boys, cost is low, and PVC isn’t affected by salty ocean water. The barrels are placed near shore or longer out in deeper water, depending on amount of energy needed in particular wave plant.

Counterweights mounted on a sleigh in a pipe.

Each barrel has a lifting force of approx 100 Kg. A wire is connected to the barrel, which goes to a brass block on the bottom, which is weighted down, with a big stone, and connected to another wire. The location of choice is the main parameter for the size of the barrels, smaller waves, smaller barrels, and vice verse. Wave heights can be caught in range from 2 foot and up.

The number of barrels, can be larger, but i think, for practical reasons, a number of 100 on each plant, would be good, and reasonable, this amount, can in the shore line version, give up to 500 kW of energy, or even more if special locations, and in a plant that covers 100 meter of shoreline, that makes it, 3 MW per kilometer shoreline.

The barrels is on 2 meters distance from each other, and connected to the on mainland placed WaveReaper generator, via the “power transmitting wire” it is also is connected with a thinner wire, between them, so, if the power wire should break, the barrels, don’t get to drift away, in the sea. This will also even out the possibility that the barrels, would smash into each other, when the sea is rougher.

Prototype on a trailer.

The lifting capacity is also setting a maximum power input into the device, since if it is to large/fast waves, the barrels would not lift more than it can, and forces is kept within the range, chosen when constructing the WaveReaper plant.

Power out put of waves kW per meter of WaveReaper, approx 30% energy after conversion.

Example, number of barrels in each row 10, and rows 10, the plant would be 20 x 20 meters of area, 400m2, and will have 100 connected wires, which transfer the mechanical energy, to the generator. This type of plants, give 100 to 300 kW every hour, which generates profits, of 6500 to 20 000 dollars of revenue monthly, building cost of the plant is estimated to 20 000 dollars only. This give that the WaveReaper earns itself, in a few months, instead of years.

WaveReaper on a small boat.

I have chosen to use cheap materials only, in this demonstration, because the need to bring down production costs, and make it possible to build this type of wave generation device, any where in the world, and with local materials, as car parts etc, which doesn’t needs to be imported. Other materials could of course be used, and the schematics for its design of course, be different. Simple is better, it is said, and fewer parts, and bearings, will bring lower cost of building, and also repair.

Kw/h per meter distance in sea.

We can here see energy content in waves, The numbers means kW per hour, and meters of wave. South America, 97 kW per meter of wave, for example, that means, a WaveReaper device, which is 100 meters broad, would generate 9.7 MW, cost would be around 1200 000 Dollar, for that device. However, the revenue would be over 400 000 dollars monthly with current energy price.

This is a simple schematic, showing buoys, wire and one-way bearing, connected together. In case of storm and rough waves, it is a problem, for all wave energy constructions, however, the WaveReaper, has a built in safety feature in its construction, that would avoid damage on the equipment, its due to the max lifting force of the barrels, since the will sink under the surface, if the force is to great. this will make the WaveReaper possible to work in any weather, however it should be constructed, to take advantage, of the medium wave, that is present at all time, for best cost benefit of the plant.

The wire is connected to a chain in the end, witch works on a gearwheel sitting on a one-way bearing, mounted on an axle. This translates the pulling force of the wire, to an circular movement which is good for cheap generators. The wire is for this case 4 mm stainless steel, which give a lifting ability of approx 300 Kg before it brakes.

Also plastic can be used as Pvc band, which today is commonly used for packaging goods on pallets, this type of PVC band has high strength, and is also light, and cost-effective, of course the UV light from the sun is affecting it in the long run, but the part that is in the water, should be somewhat guarded from the UV rays.

Flywheels is also mounted on the axle, to collect, even out/store the momentum which is produced by the lifting barrel, this will even out and, smooth the turning’s of the axle, to the generator, which is driven by a pulley, who will give it correct rpm. A simple brake, which can never wear down, is also planned, in those cases, constant current generators, or a special electronics device is not used.

Pipes mounted on the wire, which means we can haul in and out the device, without leaving the shoreline. With this configuration, if one set of barrels malfunction, only 10% of the plants output is lost, it can be hauled in to the shore and serviced, with ease, and without complicated offshore operations.

When the wire coming to the generator housing, a chain is mounted to the wire, which drive the Gear wheel, and the one way bearing, which makes the chain draw, when the waves raises the barrel, but let it spin freely back, when the wave height is going down again, also a small weight is connected to the chain, to make it even out slack of the wire. A flywheel is mounted, and a pulley drives the generator, evenly.

One-way bearing, with pulley and wire, with bigger loads, chain and gearwheel, is an option. One-way bearings can be seen in ex. bicycles, the rotate freely in one direction, but in the other direction, they grip, and transfer force, this is used in the Wave reaper, and makes it simple, and cost effective. The waves up and down, movement is translated to rotating movement, suited for a generator, of choice.

Benefits of the One-way bearing.

The barrels will of course jump up and down in random patterns; this will add to an even movement of the generator axle, and its flywheel, as soon as a wave has energy to contribute, it will transmit its force to the wire, and to the axle. The flywheel is storing the momentum gained from the waves temporarily.

Because of its design, the WaveReaper, is always self adjusting regarding wave height, and tidal shifts, and higher or lower water levels due to shifting weather patterns, no adjustment needed, the WaveReaper is always balancing itself out, to optimal level in the ocean.

No computer monitoring is needed and that also brings costs down, and no complicated technology, which would need delicate conditions, or a lot of service. This technology, offered globally for free, Anyone can now build his very own, generator.

Current development is to make the WaveReaper in concrete, for minimal cost, its seems possible to make a 3kw device for under 700 Us $ This project has sadly been sleeping for some years, but plans is to make it going very soon.

Let everyone know, friend and foe, its time for things to change in the worlds energy sector. Oil based economy, is gone, lets all accept it, and build a better world, feed the hungry, cure the sick, and of course, stop polluting the environment, with the oil based stone age technology.